SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Two more people have been arrested for allegedly trying to loot items from evacuated homes in South Lake Tahoe.
South Lake Tahoe Police officers made the first arrest Friday morning in the Bonanza Avenue area. According to police, a patrol team was in the area when they spotted a suspicious vehicle hooked up to a boat on a property on the street.
The officers pulled up and found a man, identified as Colby Fenner, in possession of burglary tools and fake guns modified to look real. Fenner is a local of South Lake Tahoe and a parolee, police said. When confronted by the officers, investigators say he became combative and was soon arrested.
Fenner was taken to jail on complaints of altering imitation firearms, possession of burglary tools, failure to leave an evacuation zone, and a violation of his parole. A mug shot for Fenner was not available.
Also Friday morning, another patrol team spotted a suspected looter taking a bike from a home. The team quickly sprung into action and arrested 37-year-old Juan Cuevas. Authorities did not say what neighborhood they were in when they arrested Cuevas.
Cuevas was booked into jail on complaints of looting, possession of burglary tools, prowling, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a concealed dirk or dagger, and possession of stolen property.
These are the fourth and fifth reported instances of looting in South Lake Tahoe since residents were ordered to evacuate on Aug. 30 due to the threat from the Caldor Fire.
On Sept. 2, two people were arrested for looting – one in the area of Spruce Avenue and Heather Lake Avenue and the second at a home on Herbert Avenue. An don the first night the city was evacuated, a woman was arrested while attempting to break into Dart/King’s liquor store.